By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art will host an annual exhibition coming up early in January, an exhibition it has hosted for the past 50 years.
It's the annual membership exhibition.
Marketing and Communications Manager Dansare Marks says this exhibition will feature works from current Albrecht members.
"This is a chance for all the members to really showcase what they've been working on over the last year, it gives every member a chance to submit artwork and be in an exhibition, it's kind of a big deal," Marks tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. "You don't have to be a professional, you don't have to meet any criteria, as long as you're a member you can submit works."
Members are allowed to submit two works between January 2nd and 7th. The exhibition will open in the upstairs gallery on January 13th, with an opening ceremony on the 12th.
Executive Director Eric Fuson says last year the exhibit featured 225 works of art, and he's expecting even more to show up this year.
"We've been pushing really hard on the idea that it's the 50th anniversary, it's going to be upstairs, that really has kind of triggered everybody's creativity," Fuson says. "I've had more people this year come up and say I'm working on something, I'm going to have something ready, I'm working on it, and we're very fortunate to keep this tradition going."
The membership exhibition will run until April 14th.
Another new exhibit coming to the Albrecht next month will feature works of art done in a unique form.
The exhibit, called Stillness and Life in Colored Pencil, features pieces from Wanda Taylor.
Marks says she's seen some of the art pieces and has been blown away by how realistic colored pencil can look.
"I think anyone who would come into this who's not really familiar with colored pencil work might be surprised that this is what medium she works in," Marks explains.
Taylor will also be teaching a class at the museum, coming up this Thursday. Marks says Taylor will lead Colored Pencil Happy Hour.
"That's just a fun evening for you to bring a friend, get your colored pencils out, very low pressure, but she usually has some sort of guide and there's a theme to it," Marks says. "We have a cash bar available, so it's a really fun evening to just kind of let loose."
Taylors exhibit will also open on January 13th and will run until February 18th. An opening ceremony for the exhibit will be held on January 12th.